Delores Rosa Ollison

At birth on March 3, 1931, Delores Ollison was named Rosa Delores Bass by her parents, Elijah Bass and Rosa Porter Bass. Delores was the twelfth of fourteen children. The Bass family migrated from Louisiana to Oklahoma. Sometime around 1937, they moved fro Oklahoma to Merced, California, then later to the neighboring town of Chowchilla, California. Delores often told stories of how she learned to pick cotton in Chowchilla with her favorite brother - she called him "Levis", (Dorris) and he called her, "Dee Lois."

Growing up in church, Delores dedicated her life to the Lord at an early age. With a voice like an angel, Delores had a passion for singing and sang for many occasions, including a rendition for the mayor of Chowchilla. As a young girl of twelve, Delores was introduced to Jeremiah "Jerry" Ollison, by her older sister, Dazettia.

After declining a musical scholarship and graduating from Chowchilla High School, Delores married her sweetheart - the man for whom she and her mother had prayed. Jerry brought her from Chowchilla to San Francisco where started their home. Together they became parents of one son and two daughters. Delores continued in her quest for serving God and singing in the church. She and her family were members of the Golden Gate Church of Christ (Holiness) USA, San Francisco, California.

Enjoying her role as a mother, Delores attended PTA meetings and Vacation Bible School. With a delightful passion for cooking, she was known for her delicious Lemon Ice-Box Pie and Cornbread dressing, which she prepared on many occasions for family, church and school functions. 

Although Delores suffered many physical setbacks throughout her life, she never lost her faith in God. After the loss of her beloved husband in 2015, her diminishing health took her to the point where she was unable to walk and could not attend church regularly. 

On September 10th Delores slipped into a deep sleep. She departed this life to be with the Lord, early on the morning of September 11th, 2017.

Delores is preceded in death by her husband, Jerry and their son, Ricky (1990); five brothers: Bernice, Timothy, Titus, Bub and Elbert; six sisters: Lula Belle, Josephine, Velma, Joy, Shirley and Dazettia. She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters, Sherry Guillory (Ron) and Carmen Stingily (Richard); five granddaughters: ShaRon, Rene and Staci Guillory; Asha and Ria Howell; one great-grandson, Rashad Dawson, and one great-granddaughter, Zoya Moeller; two brothers: Dorris and Polly; Five sisters-in-laws: Barbara Bass, Regina Bass, Tarea Speech, Cheryl Moore (Francis) and Zelma Ellis (George). Three godchildren: Lillian Speech Benjamin, Sherice Guillory Torres and Melvin Simmins, Jr., and many nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends. 

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